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Coke drops conservative group ALEC

WASHINGTON (AP) — Coca-Cola Co. has terminated its relationship with a conservative group seen by some as an incubator for a string of new state voter ID laws and a marketer of laws like Florida's "Stand Your Ground" self-defense statute.

The Atlanta-based soft drink maker said its focus with the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, was on combating "discriminatory" food and beverage taxes, not on issues "that have no direct bearing" on its business.

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The decision to "discontinue its membership" came Wednesday, just a few hours after the black online advocacy group ColorofChange began a boycott of the company.

Coca-Cola declined to respond to additional questions, including whether it had already paid membership for the year.

ALEC brings together state legislators, who pay $100 for a two-year membership, and corporations, which pay between $2,500 and $25,000 for an annual membership. The legislators and corporate representatives draft templates of legislation that can be used by lawmakers and lobbyists as models for state or federal legislation.

Koch Industries, whose top executives Charles and David Koch are prominent supporters of conservative causes, is one of the largest corporations supporting Washington-based ALEC.

ALEC spokeswoman Kaitlyn Buss did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. A phone query went to voicemail.

Buss has previously said the group did not put a lot of effort or resources into promoting voter identification legislation. She has also said ALEC had no involvement in the "Stand Your Ground" law when Florida enacted it. She has criticized people who turned the "tragedy" of teenager Trayvon Martin's death into politics.

Several states have passed laws requiring voters to show specific ID, toughening voter registration or reducing early voting days. The voting laws have been seen by civil rights and other groups, as well as many Democrats, as an attempt to suppress the votes of African Americans, Latinos, the elderly and students.

The Justice Department has blocked voter ID laws in Texas and South Carolina after finding they violate the Voting Rights Act. The Florida "Stand Your Ground" statute is under scrutiny following the fatal shooting of Martin. The shooter, George Zimmerman, has said he fired in self-defense and has not been arrested or charged.

Rashad Robinson, ColorofChange executive director, estimated that 300 to 400 calls and emails were made in the few hours of the Coca-Cola boycott, based on written reports from participants. In a statement, Robinson thanked Coca-Cola for its decision.

"Our message has been clear, these corporations can't come to black folks for our money by day and support laws that try to take our vote or potentially our lives by night," Rashad told The Associated Press Thursday.

Last December, ColorofChange began targeting corporations that financially support ALEC as a campaign against the passage of Voter ID laws. The group also started an online petition regarding the Martin youth's death.

Purchase, NY-based PepsiCo, which ColorofChange asked in letters and emails to end its ALEC membership, said in a Jan. 25 letter to Robinson that its membership expired. PepsiCo said it reviews its membership organizations each year and would keep the concerns raised by ColorofChange in mind.

Readers' Comments (8)

Voter suppression by the republicans is disgraceful. These are the same morons who waive their flags and claim to be "real Americans" and more patriotic than anyone who dares to disagree with their extremist policies. They really are batting zero with their tea birther militia antics. Should bode well for thinking Americans in November.

Coke succumbs to the radical protection racket run by Democrats. Sadly they think it will save them from these vicious pirhanas. They will kill Coke just like they did the auto industry in America, the steel industry, the tobacco industry, SUV and the various targets of the left as they drive companies and jobs overseas.

Coke will have their company blown up by court cases saying they know sugar was a "toxin" and they sold it to unsuspecting citizens. They knew sugar was addictive and sold it anyway. The template has been set for Coke. They think they dodged a bullet by submitting but they just put themselves in front of the liberal firing squad.

More thuggish, dirty Chicago style politics. Look back at the Democratic Convention in 2008. Hillary was robbed by threats and intimidation. The entire T.M. issue was exploited for political reasons. What a disgraceful person, your Obama is.

The issue of ColorofChange boycotting CocaCola is ridiculous and totally unrelated to Trayvon Martin other than if one is playing the game, "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon". Trayvon Martin's death has nothing to do with the "Stand your ground" law as the shooter, George Zimmerman disobeyed a police dispatcher's order to not pursue Martin. He physically confronted Martin anyway and choose the ground he was going to stand on all in violation of the Police order and afterward suffered the consequences. Therefore he was not defending or standing his ground because he violated what the dispatcher commanded. Furthermore, he was armed when he shouldn't have been while serving as a neighborhood watchman. As far as the Voter ID laws go, if you are against presenting some form of government ID before entering the voting booth, then you are completely for Voter fraud, period.